Batey Prepares to Fight for Points in Medellin, Colombia

Ireland’s Elite BMX rider Kelvin Batey will be competing this weekend in the UCI BMX World Championships in Colombia, across the Elite Time Trial and Elite Racing events. Ireland’s premier BMX rider will be focusing on gaining one of the Olympic Qualifying spots on offer this weekend. This is the last opportunity for cycling to qualify another spot in the Olympics, having already qualified two spots on the road and one on the track.

The BMX Time Trial takes place on Saturday, and the Race Qualifiers on Sunday. This is only opportunity for the World Master’s Champion to qualify for Rio, following a season where he has gained the sufficient UCI points to put him in contention for one of the available spots. The World Championships take place in Medellin, Colombia from 25-29 May 2016.

Batey has spent the past week acclimatising in the Colombian heat and humidity preparing for the Elite Time Trial and for the Elite Racing. The Time Trial is a straight forward race against the clock and takes place on Saturday, and the Racing Qualifiers take place on Sunday. In the Race category the riders qualify through the rounds by way of motos, where eight riders line up, and the top four advance to the next round.

This particular BMX track is regarded by many as the most technically challenging track ever constructed for a UCI Worlds event, Batey is looking forward to getting on the track, having spent the past week testing his bike set up on a local track and following a strict regime of sleep, hydration, nutrition and light gym work. He is looking forward to getting on the race track saying;

“It’s been a great week here in Colombia, and I’ve been itching to get on the track since arriving. There’s a lot riding on the next few days and with the great support I’ve received out here from the Irish team and people back home, I’m looking forward to getting on the gate and putting in the performance of my career and qualifying a place for Ireland at the Olympic Games.”

BMX racing has been part of the Olympic Games since 2008, and should Batey qualify he will be Ireland’s first BMX rider to compete at the Olympics. BMX is one of the fastest growing disciplines in Irish cycling, with a particular attraction for youth riders, due to the fast, exhilarating style of racing.

The World Championships take place in Medellin, Colombia from 25-29 May, with Batey competing on the 28th and 29th.


UCI BMX World Championships Schedule:
Saturday
12.30 Local time Elite Men Time Trial – Kelvin Batey
Sunday
10.30 Local time Elite Men Racing – Kelvin Batey

Manager – Kevin McShane, Simon Murphy, Eamonn Wyer (BMX Ireland)
Coach – Jeremy Hayes
Mechanic – Steve Bell
Doctor – Dr. Sean Drysdale